Overs mix-up costs Brinscall before Petersen cuts loose

Oliver Smith

Brinscall suffered double-header defeat in the Houldsworth Solicitors Ribblesdale Cricket League over the weekend.

On Saturday, the School Lane side were beaten in farcical conditions by Great Harwood in a rain-affected game.

And on Sunday, Liam Winstanley’s men had no answer to departing Read professional Keegan Petersen and captain Kyle O’Connor.

Against Harwood, Brinscall totalled 87-5 from 27 overs, although the visitors felt aggrieved at their curtailed innings.

There was some confusion over the revised number of overs, and Brinscall were denied the opportunity of late thrash to take the target into three figures.

Steven Hawke top-scored with 30 for the locals, with Stu Parker chipping in with 27 not out off 29 balls.

Stuart Maher took 3-39 off 13 overs for Great Harwood.

Lee Burgess bowled well in response, taking 2-20 off 12.2 overs, and Briscall had Harwood four down, but the hosts got home with 10 balls to spare, with opener Mahsooq Ahmed unbeaten on 27.

The following day at School Lane, Winstanley won the toss and inserted Read on what looked like a helpful pitch, but the villagers were soon on the back foot as O’Connor (66 off 67 balls) took a liking to Burgess early on, repeatedly smashing him out of the park.

Overseas amateur Lehann van Rensburg was also expensive at the other end as he struggled with underfoot conditions, his three wickets costing 91 runs off 13 overs.

Josh Murfet and Andrew Whittle came into the attack and both bowled tidily to slow down Read’s progress, after they raced to 100 off 15 overs.

Read pro Petersen was accumulating steadily at one end, whilst O’Connor continued to play freely at the other before eventually falling for 66.

Petersen took up the lead role in his final innings before teaming up with Boland for next month’s 16-team Africa T20 Cup, but the rest of the order added little before he fell victim to the returning Burgess on 99.

Read closed on 231 all out as Burgess and Van Rensburg mopped up the tail.

Brinscall started cautiously before Hawke fell with 54 on the board, having just started getting going.

Winstanley followed, run out for 19.

Van Rensburg and Lowe set about rebuilding and were playing well until Lowe (15) was bowled trying to move things along.

Parker quickly came and went, bringing James McVittie to the crease. He set about Petersen in particular and hit an entertaining 33 before eventually sending one skywards and being caught.

Van Rensburg had also fallen to a good catch and any faint hopes of chasing the runs down was extinguished.

The rest of the order fell quickly as Brinscall were unable to grab any batting points.

Brinscall are at Barnoldswick on Saturday, while Euxton, who had a free date at the weekend, are at home to Ribblesdale Wanderers.

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